Teacher: Heather Van Otterloo
School: Joplin High School, Joplin, MO

Full Media: Acrylic paint, paper mosaic, decoupage medium, photography, wooden desk, recycled books, felt, slate and chalk, newspaper replicas, and foam board.

Excerpt from artist’s Impact Statement: "The scene is that of a desk vacated by one of Mrs. Elliot's 3rd grade students who unfortunately finds herself in the 'lesser' group. We can assume she may be at recess, being alternatingly chastised and ignored by her peers and even friends in the arbitrarily-labelled superior group. Her desk is as she left it when she exited the classroom, and each component conveys some symbolic meaning about Jane Elliott's exercise."

Read the artist's Impact Statement.

Learn more about Unsung Hero: Jane Elliott